Talent to stump area with Idaho senator

WASHINGTON -- He used to sing with John Ashcroft, but now Idaho Republican Sen. Larry Craig is stumping for another Missouri Republican -- U.S. Senate candidate Jim Talent.

Talent, a former congressman who lost the governor's race last November, hopes to challenge Democratic Sen. Jean Carnahan next year.

Craig is set to speak at a "Talk with Talent" stop early Saturday in Poplar Bluff, Mo., and will appear later at a campaign fund raiser in Cape Girardeau.

Craig used to perform as one of four Singing Senators with Ashcroft, now the attorney general; GOP Sen. Trent Lott of Mississippi and New Hampshire's Jim Jeffords, whose exit from the Republican Party handed Senate control to the Democrats.

Carnahan was appointed and must run for election to finish the term won posthumously by her husband, the late Gov. Mel Carnahan. Carnahan died Oct. 16, 2000, in a plane crash but still defeated Ashcroft, 50 percent to 48 percent.

Several Republicans have said in recent weeks they expect former President George Bush to campaign for Talent, but they caution that the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks may curb such political activity.